Joe Citizen's Facebook Blog: Campaign Signage

Joe Citizen, like everyone these days, is seeing a lot of lawn signs for candidates in the upcoming mid-term election.

Large and small, the signs for federal and state candidates spot people's lawns and often line our roads.

A political sign was at the heart of a dispute between a property owner in East Kingston and a candidate for sheriff in Rockingham County.

All this prompted our question and poll on Facebook about political signs -- whether people thought they were an effective means of campaigning, or whether they thought they were just unsightly litter. We also have a poll on our Live Free or Die Alliance home page.

Mostly, people regard the signs as litter, but there is some sentiment than signs on private lawns are OK.

Here's a sampling of some Facebook responses:

Jason Dubrow: "Effective when not over done with a million of them on a corner. I remember in 2010 there were dozens of signs for a single candidate on a small corner. It wasn't them trying to get their name out. It was A) trying to block their opponents signs, and B) keep their opponent from having any space at that corner for other signs. I also believe signs on private lawns show more support for a candidate than along public right of ways."

Karen Joy Gauthier-Davidson: "It is unsightly litter. Politicians should use the internet or tv to get their name across. What a waste of paper!"

Yvonne McCormick: "I think roadside signs are effective, however I also think that people need to be responsible for taking them down after the elections."

Byron Fairbrother: "I think signs in front of a home is extremely patriotic. I can always be assured that that person believes in the process. However signs placed on public land or not near homes is unsightly and rarely maintained. The lawn signs are one part of our political prosess that I feel needs to be kept. Freedom of speech you know.... ! Don't let people talk you into removing any part of your constitutional rights."

Robin Kelleher Stamm: "I agree that what goes on your own lawn is your right, providing it's not offensive to the point of causing real discomfort to neighbors or passersby. That said, the HUGE political signs are so annoying I'm close to making it a point to NEVER vote in favor of a candidate who does that. I'm quite fine with a sign that's large enough to read without it screaming at me. And when I see multiple signs for the same candidate, I wonder why."

Matthew Witham: "Unsightly litter, although the day after the election, those sings are a ready source of scrap metal. Which makes them more useful than the people they advertise."